The Sindhian

Interview with Malaki Founders

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Malaki is a luxury F&B brand that focuses on health based products and is founded by siblings Ashish, Mohit and Prerna Bhatia.

An Indian company was the luxury-gifting partner for Rolls Royce at their Goodwood Estate in UK in March 2018. Say hello to Malaki. Ashish Bhatia (Marketing Director), Mohit Bhatia (Finance Director) and Prerna Bhatia (the brain behind the launch of their Alkaline Water), apart from their mother Managing Director Natasha Bhatia and her brother Mahesh Wadhwa, are the names behind this venture.

Started in 2014, Malaki was launched at the duty free section at airports pan India and in the UAE with a product range consisting of confectionery, exotic teas and spices, and gold and alkaline water. The team is inspired by their customers and Mohit admits, “some of our best work is the direct result of conversations with the early adopters. They expect a lot and inspire us to be better.”

“There were very few Indian brands that were represented on a global level and we felt that it was high time that we develop brands on a global platform that Indians could be proud of,” says Ashish. This was the genesis of the brand that focuses on a niche range of products at an affordable price.

“We firmly believe that our step in launching globally first was more important as the norms and quality standards required for this has made our product quality and packaging superior,” says Mohit.

Malaki Alkaline Water was launched to propagate the benefits of good quality water while Gold Water was launched as a gifting option. “Our alkaline water is the next big step in health care. The response has been excellent and we are growing at an overwhelming 25% every quarter,” avers Ashish. It is micro clustered and permeates the cell membranes faster than any regular bottled water in the market, leaving you hydrated sooner. Malaki Gold on the other hand is fit for royalty and actually contains pure edible 24k gold flakes.

Again being in business is all about overcoming challenges. Mohit says, “honestly, it is a never ending struggle. When we started alkaline water, we had to invent the technology from scratch. If you told me we would be able to actually do this in a remote village in Assam, under Rs. 100 a bottle, many would have laughed. However we had a vision and never give up on it.”

The exotic tea selection includes caffeine free, lavender and rose blends, premium Darjeeling and instant masala chai among others while the confectionery range consists of very premium products made out of exotic dry fruits.

Looking ahead, the team will soon launch cold brew teas and coffee brewed in alkaline water. “At any given point of time we have at least 20 products a month under R&D out of which may be one makes it to the table. At work it has always been fun and games and we look forward to it every day,” quip the duo. And the team is continually innovating. “Most innovation comes from the harmony between the aesthetics combined with functional products. I think it is important to involve everyone and not accept anything average,” concludes Mohit.

This story first appeared in The SIndhian dated Jan-Mar 2019 here: Malaki

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